Mr Iliya Habila, the Chairman of Bogoro Local Government Area of Bauchi State has tasked Journalists in the state to accord priority to rural reporting.
Habila, a former Senior Editor with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), made the call at a press conference to mark the 2021 Press Week of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Bauchi Council, on Monday, in Bogoro.
He urged Journalists to give rural reporting prominent attention, because most Nigerians lived in rural areas.
“We at the local government level are making efforts to replicate what Gov. Bala Mohammed has been doing at the state level, as such, we urge you to give us more coverage.
“I urge you also to ensure responsible journalism by abiding by the ethics of the profession, knowing fully well that we too are not above the laws of the land,” he said.
Habila noted that the theme of the NUJ press week, “Media, Security and National Development,” was currently an issue of national discourse.
“As leaders, whether at federal, state or local government levels, the first and paramount responsibility of government is to ensure the security of lives and property of its citizens.
“When this is achieved, the conducive atmosphere for development would have been created.
“As purveyors of news , information, education and entertainment contents our ultimate goal is to ensure that there is peace and security, as well as the basic ingredients for development,” he said.
He stressed that journalists had a pivotal role to play in connecting societies together, exercising their surveillance roles and leveraging their vantage position to set the agenda for the society.
The Bogoro council boss said his administration, since assumption of office, had carried along the 13 wards in governance and restored the confidence of civil servants, through justice and fairness.
Malam Umar Said, the Chairman of the Council urged the state government to provide adequate funds to the local governments, to enable them perform optimally.
“Local governments are closer to the people and if they are supported, they could execute projects that would impact positively on people’s lives.
” The idea of holding the press conference in Bogoro, as against the usual Bauchi NUJ secretariat, was to identify with our colleague, who is the elected local government chairman, as well as the peaceful local government area.”
Sa’idu explained that during the week-long festivities, the union would hold public lectures on the role of the media in national security and socio-economic development.
Other activities lined up for the week, he said, include: visits to hospitals to provide support, tree planting campaign, award presentations and the launch of the NUJ magazine, among others. (NAN)
